


Lapras (stamped itself hard near his heart)

by snow_queen16



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Conservation, F/M, Gen, Nature, One Shot, Vignette, a dash of romance because I can't help myself, one boy's quest to save a whole species
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:02:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29790963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snow_queen16/pseuds/snow_queen16
Summary: Aldo Carson has one defining love in his life- and that's the endangered pokémon lapras.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 6





	Lapras (stamped itself hard near his heart)

**Author's Note:**

> This is my entry for the /r/pokemonfanfiction subreddit fanfic contest! Prompt: 'Write a story that features a single stage evolution'. Inspired by the sudden 180 in lapras's Pokédex entries between Gen VI and Gen VII and how utterly depressing the end of Blue Planet 2 is. I tried to apply real-world conservationism to the in-game canon as best as I could. 
> 
> The title is inspired by a line in the poem "1994" by Lucille Clifton. It doesn't have anything to do with the story, but the words fit the feeling I was going for.

1994

(December)

“Mama, I _need_ that.” The little boy stopped in front of a display of giant stuffed pokémon- advertised to be the actual size of a (baby) lapras which impressed him greatly. The boy shook his dark hair out of his deeply blue eyes, which shone with stars and excitement as he took another tentative step closer.

Aldo had never seen a pokémon so big in his life! It was big, but it wasn’t scary like some of the big pokémon he saw on tv. Lapras had large brown eyes that radiated kindness (even though they were glass). It didn’t have big scary teeth or sharp looking claws. It did have a horn, but it was small and blunt- not like the horn on his mother’s rapidash which Aldo imagined could spike anything it wanted, including misbehaving children.

No, lapras looked nice. Like it could be his best friend. Like it wouldn’t mind not wanting to battle. He was suddenly overcome with an intense desire to see one in real life. Where did they live? Were they close? Was it possible he could catch one when he was old enough to have pokémon of his own?

“Hmm, that’s a little . . .” His mother, Chie, stopped the shopping cart. Noting the impressive amount of zeroes on the price tag with dismay, she did her best to hide her shock. “Maybe Santa Delibird will bring you one for the Winter Solstice.” she said falteringly, realizing as she said it that she was merely deferring Aldo’s disappointment. He was a well-behaved child, but there’d be tears the morning of the Solstice if that ridiculously giant toy wasn’t underneath the tree . . .

“Okay!” Aldo said excitedly, giving the giant plush one last lingering look before skipping back towards the cart. Santa Delibird always got him everything he asked for, so writing for a stuffed lapras felt like a promise. He jumped on the front, bouncing up and down on his toes as he clung to the cold metal basket. “Can we go to the library the way home? I wanna see if they have any lapras books.”

“That we can certainly do!” Chie beamed, hoping that her son’s interest in lapras would burn out as quickly as his other passions did.

“I can’t believe you bought him that.” Dennis groaned, shaking his head in half amazement, half disbelief. Gently, he patted the giant stuffed lapras that nearly eclipsed the Solstice tree. Chie laughed, brushing past him to tie a large ribbon around the toy’s neck.

“It’s the only thing Aldo wanted! And anyway, it wasn’t me- it was Santa Delibird.” she said mischievously, her brown-gold eyes shimmering with pleasure as she turned to face him.

“No shot _any_ delibird could fit that thing in its sack.” Dennis shook his head, hiding a smile as Chie placed her arms around his neck. “Besides, if we got him this huge present, the only thing he wanted, _we_ should get the credit don’t you think? Not some fictional pokémon.”

“True.” Chie paused, then suddenly grinned. “Let’s tell him we went halfsies with Santa on it. It’s his only fun present- everything else is clothes.”

“Deal.” Dennis said, grinning, then kissed her.

1995

(March)

Aldo sat eagerly in front of the tv, bouncing in place on the back of his giant stuffed lapras as he awaited the beginning of the show he's been anticipating for all month; an in-depth documentary about his favorite pokémon. At six, Aldo was less concerned with the numerous awards it won last year at the Lumiose City Film Festival or the brilliant narration by the famous Galaran naturalist -in three different languages!- than the promise of several hours of watching wild lapras.

Aldo already knows more about lapras than anyone else, even Tachibana-sensei at school. He read every book about lapras, every encyclopedia entry, every magazine article he could find in the school library _and_ the Hearthome City library. He'd even read most of the books in Canalave City's giant library visiting his grandmother over the summer.

Still, there was a difference between reading big books with long words he didn't quite understand and actually seeing his beloved lapras in full color. Baby lapras, mom and dad lapras . . . Aldo giggled, leaning forward to squeeze the neck of his plushie.

_"But unfortunately for the lapras, its gentle nature and love of human companionship have made it too desirable to collectors. Breeding lapras in captivity has proven to be nigh impossible, however. Some trainers, desperate to befriend this pokémon at any cost, will pay dearly for one- leading to a sharp increase in poaching._

_“The oceans around Alola that once showcased countless lapras cavorting with their newly hatched young are all but empty now. Despite Alola’s strict guidelines on catching wild lapras, poachers have continued to catch any and all they encounter. The money even a weak, low level lapras can bring on the black market is well worth the risk of arrests and fines._

_“And what does this mean for the wild lapras?”_

Aldo’s eyes brimmed with tears as the camera focused on a single lapras looking mournfully around the deserted water surrounding it. It cried out softly, swimming in slow circles as it searched for a companion.

_“It’s a sad fate. Unable to breed in captivity and facing an ever-decreasing wild population, lapras seems all but certain to face extinction. Our children and grandchildren will never know this exquisite pokémon._

The camera panned out, the lapras steadily shrinking until it was nothing but a small blue and grey dot in the middle of a large, empty expanse of water.

Aldo was inconsolable for days.

*

“Mom, I’m gonna save the lapras.” Aldo said one morning. For the first time in almost a week, his eyes weren’t red and puffy as if he spent half the night crying. He sat stoically at the table, his small chubby hands clenched tightly into fists. The eager swinging of his feet offset his otherwise grave expression, emphasizing a childish earnestness.

“How are you going to do that sweetheart?” Chie said, setting a bowl of rice in front of him.

“I don’t know yet.” His lip trembled, but he quickly stiffened it. “I’m going to write Sir David Ebsworth and ask. He made the show about lapras I watched and he knows a lot about them. He’d know, right?”

“I think that’s a great place to start. But,” she hesitated, biting her lip. “Galar is pretty far away, and I’m sure Sir David gets lots of letters. So don’t be upset if he doesn’t write back right away, all right?”

"All right." Aldo agreed.

(June)

One afternoon when Aldo and Dennis returned home after school and work, Chie met them at the door. She practically vibrated with excitement, clutching a thick white envelope.

“Aldo honey, you got a letter.” she said, her voice hushed with a poorly concealed excitement.

"A letter?" Aldo repeated excitedly, toeing off his shoes and flinging his school bag willy-nilly. He didn’t catch the look his parents exchanged above his head. The letter could be from Oba-chan from Mahogany Town or Grandmother in Canalave -all the other letters he's gotten lately were from them. But something just _felt_ different today.

“Let me know if you want help opening it.” His mother handed him the thick white envelope. The paper is smooth and pleasant to touch, reminding Aldo of the kimono his mother wears when they visit Johto. The front has strange stick-like characters written on it Aldo can’t read, though he recognized the sticker with his name and address beside them. He grinned, gently touching the two large postage stamps on the top right corner. They’ve been marred by several postmarks but the two lapras, a mother nuzzling her baby, were still clearly visible.

“Can you open it, Mom? I don’t wanna rip it.” Aldo said hesitantly, frowning at the unexpected wax seal on the back of the envelope.

“Of course dear.” she says softly, gently taking it back. “Let’s go into Dad’s office, he has a letter opener in there.”

The three of them trooped through the house into Dennis’s office. Solemnly, Chie took the letter opener off the desk and slowly, carefully, cut open the top of the envelope. One by one, she pulled out the contents and handed them to Aldo who passed them to his father when he was done.

First, a glossy picture of Sir David Ebsworth laughing and riding on the back of a lapras with a scrawled signature on the bottom. Aldo decided immediately that this would replace the picture of the Sinnoh League’s Champion hanging beside his bed.

Next came several pamphlets, some in that foreign writing that Aldo couldn’t read, but some in the familiar Kantonian standard he was being taught in school. They all had nice big pictures of lapras on them.

“Oh dear,” Chie paused, frowning at the letter.

“What is it?” Dennis said, looking up from one of the pamphlets.

“The letter is in Galaran. I can’t- oh! There’s a translated copy,” Chie sighed in relief before passing Aldo Sir David’s original handwritten letter. “You two follow along with that and I’ll read it out loud, okay?” Dennis and Aldo nodded.

_“Dear Aldo,_

_What a pleasure it is to get such a letter! It warms my old heart to see a boy such as yourself take an interest in saving the pokémon he loves so much. You may be young, but there are still plenty of things you can do to help the wild lapras._

_First and foremost, learn all you can about lapras. The more we learn about pokémon the more we can empathize with them, and the easier it is to share with others why lapras need to be saved. Perhaps you can ask your teachers to get involved as well- ask them to do a lesson on lapras in class so all your friends can learn about them too._

_Donating to charities -I’ve included information on several reputable programs in Galar, Sinnoh, and Alola- is another good way to help. With your parents’ permission, you could set up a lemonade stand or bake sale (I apologize, I’m not quite sure what the Sinnohan equivalent would be) and send the money to a charity._

_Most importantly, never let anyone stop you. A child’s voice matters just as much as an adult’s- perhaps more so when speaking up to preserve the future. After all, it’s children like you who can change the world for the better. With you on their side, the wild lapras have a fighting chance._

_All the best,_

_Sir David Ebsworth”_

Aldo insisted his mother read the letter twice more, each time listening with more and more enthusiasm and excitement until he felt like exploding. He _could_ do something! He could help!

1998

(May)

“Are you sure you don’t want to go exploring with your friends? You’re old enough now, you’ve got your trainer license.” Dennis said, taking a seat beside his son on the back porch’s steps. Aldo shrugged, glancing up at him briefly before turning back to his book.

“Nah. I don’t like battling. Besides, I wanna stay in school. I have to go to uni if I want to become a conservationist like Sir David.”

“You’re more driven than I was when I was a kid, that’s for sure.” Dennis laughed, ruffling Aldo’s still-shaggy dark hair. “Still, you’re ten now! We should go catch a pokémon together.”

“Pokémon deserve to be left in the wild.” Aldo said stubbornly, giving Dennis a disapproving look that reminded him all too much of his mother.

“Hey, you learned in school that pokémon come out of the tall grass on purpose to make friends, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, but-”

“Buts are for sitting!” Dennis paused, giggling with Aldo. “Listen, I know you really want to be friends with a lapras and I know that you think they should stay in the wild. But there are lots and lots of pokémon in the world, kiddo. There’s lots of pokémon that aren’t endangered right here in Sinnoh that want to be your friend.”

“I guess.” Aldo said quietly, focusing on the book in his lap. He wasn’t interested in other pokémon.

“Well, I won’t force you. Just remember I’m happy to help you if you ever change your mind, okay?”

“Okay.” he said, though Aldo doubted he would.

2002

(December)

Aldo squatted in front of the shop’s front counter, stocking candy bars. It’s his first job, only acquired so he could save money to visit Alola one day, maybe even go to college there. But Hau’oli University was a top-rated school, and its ecology and conservation management programs were small- only the best of the best got in. So for now, he took classes at HCC (Hearthome Community College) and worked a crappy part time job, spending his paycheck on books and donating what he could spare from his savings to a rotating group of lapras focused charities.

The bell on the shop’s door rung and automatically, Aldo straightened and plastered a smile on his face to greet the customers.

“Good morning! Let me know if you need any hElp,” he said, blushing furiously as his voice cracked. The two pretty teenage girls that entered exchanged a look and giggled wildly.

“Oh, we will.” One of the girls grinned, her rich brown eyes seemingly melting into Aldo’s as she and her friend brushed past and into the main part of the store. Decidedly off kilter -girls were _not_ his forte- Aldo returned to his work, uncomfortably aware of the girls as they chatted and meandered through the aisles.

Eventually, the two made their way back to the front of the store, pausing at a display of calendars. Aldo pretended not to notice as they flipped through them, loudly voicing their opinions on which pokémon were the cutest.

“Oooh, look at this one- it’s all lapras.”

“Ugh, lapras is so cool!” Aldo’s ears perked, and he glanced surreptitiously at the girls. The girl with the pretty brown eyes took the calendar from her friend. But not just any calendar, _Aldo’s_ calendar.

He was quite proud of it. The idea had won him a prize a few years back in a Sinnoh Junior Conservationist contest for fundraising ideas. He didn’t expect to win -most of the judges preferred the conservation efforts be focused on native pokémon after all- but his idea for a calendar with a different picture of lapras accompanied with a fun fact each month (and reminders not to support poachers) was apparently good enough to surpass the judges’ bias. Aldo won the contest, and for the last few years the SJC and a couple different charities focused on wild lapras collaborated to put out his lapras calendar which sold all over Sinnoh- including the small shop where he worked . . . if only because he’d convinced the owner to carry it.

“Lapras is so cute! I wanna hug one.”

“Cute and strong! There was this match on tv late last night from the Indigo League where Lorelei and her lapras just _stomped_ this dude with a bunch of fire pokémon, it was totally great. Hey look, this is totally Lorelei’s lapras!”

“How can you tell?”

“It’s got this heart shaped mark on her neck, see? I noticed it last night.”

Aldo was mildly impressed; it was in fact Lorelei’s lapras. Lorelei worked with several of Aldo’s favorite charities, and had agreed to send him a picture for the calendar when he’d written to her. He still had the letter tucked in the shoe box of keepsakes he kept under his bed.

“I can’t believe you noticed that. You’re such a battle nerd!” the girl said affectionately, taking back the calendar from her friend. “I think I’ll get this one. It says all the proceeds go to help wild lapras too.”

“Huh, I doubt it! These things always say they give the proceeds to charity but that’s crap.” the other said flippantly. Aldo frowned, looking back at the girls. The first one sighed, putting the calendar back on the display.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

“Um, actually, I know for sure that one really does.” he said, blushing furiously when the pair turned their large eyes to him.

“And how do you know?” the doubtful girl, the one with the pretty brown eyes, scoffed.

“I, um, that’s my calendar. The SJC, the, uh, Sinnoh Junior Conservationists put it out and the money goes to the Alolan Lapras Foundation and the Inter-Regional Lapras Protection Association. They’re, um, two of the best charities. They’ve really done a lot to combat poaching and raise awareness-”

“You’re a huge nerd.” the girl cut him off with a laugh, though it lacked the venom Aldo half expected. Instead, she and her friend giggled and exchanged a look, and they each picked up a calendar. “But I’ll take one- my mom eats this stuff up. Oh, and I’m Nao and that’s Shina.”

“I’m Aldo,” he says bashfully.

2003

(July)

“Do you ever talk about anything other than lapras?” Nao teased, giving Aldo a smirk before slipping her arm into his. Aldo shrugged, too pleased for words with the contact. He looked to the sky, which was rife with the colors of the setting sun. The two of them walked through Hearthome’s summer festival. Nao was dressed in a yukata and Aldo was completely distracted by her, resulting in more than one babbling tangent on lapras while his brain short circuited.

“Sorry, they’re my favourite. But I’ll try not to.”

“It’s okay. You’re cute when you talk about them.”

“Y-yeah?” Aldo felt his face warm, and snuck a glance at Nao. She looked straight ahead, her profile edged in the golden light of the sunset. His heart beat faster, and he swore he’d remember it for the rest of his life.

“Yeah. C’mon, let’s have fun tonight!”

The two of them did have fun; eating sickening amounts of candied apples and cotton candy and (tofu) takoyaki, and played and won every game they could find. Well, Nao won- Aldo was rather hopeless at carnival games. She even won him a small stuffed lapras which Aldo promised to treasure forever, joking that his giant life size lapras plush (still on display in his bedroom, much to Nao’s amusement) was now a mother.

All too quickly however, the night came to an end. The pair walked hand in hand towards Nao’s house in an agreeable silence.

“So, um, Aldo . . .there’s been something I’ve been meaning to tell you.” Nao said, hesitant. Aldo stiffened, sensing something off in her tone though he couldn’t quite place it.

“What is it?”

“I- you know how I have two badges?” He nodded.

“I know. You’re a great trainer- you even beat my mom in a battle!”

“You’re sweet.” She squeezed his hand, coming to a slow stop. “I’m not that great, not yet. But that’s kinda what I want- I want to challenge the rest of the gyms.”

"Oh." Aldo was quiet. She didn't need to spell it out for him. The rest of the gyms in the Sinnoh League were spread out across the region. If she wanted to challenge them, she’d have to leave.

"Is that all you've got to say?" Nao despaired.

"No, I- jeez Nao, I don't want you to leave but . . . I want you to be happy.” Aldo stopped, squeezing her fingers. “If going away to win all the badges is what would make you happy, you should do it.”

“You’re so good, Aldo.” Nao sniffled, and shocked him by hugging his arm and dropping her head on his shoulder. Awkwardly, Aldo put his other arm around her, rubbing her back. “You could come with me. Please?” Her voice was muffled by his t shirt and the tears choking her voice.

“I can’t. I’ve got classes and work with the SJC and the shop-”

“The shop is more important than me?!” Nao straightened, her face red with tears and temper as she stepped back and pushed his shoulder.

“Don’t be dumb! Of course not.” Aldo said sharply. flushing.

“Then come with me!”

“My dream isn’t to follow you around while you chase yours, okay? I have to get good grades and save up so I can apply to Hau’oli University!”

“I’d follow you to Alola if you asked.” Nao said, jutting her chin forward. Aldo rolled his eyes.

“No you wouldn’t! And I wouldn’t ask you to either. They don’t even have gyms in Alola.”

“I guess this is it then.” Nao said angrily. “You go to Alola and chase your precious lapras then!”

“Yeah I will! You go win all your badges!” Aldo countered, scowling. “I hope you find some guy that’ll follow you around and worship you like you want!”

“I’d say I hope you find a girl who you love more than lapras but I doubt that’s possible! G-go marry a lapras you jerk!” Nao said, her voice hitching, and stormed off down the street. Aldo watched her go, a storm of emotion clouding him.

2004

(March)

Nervously, Aldo approached the Snowpoint City docks. It’s been months since he’s seen Nao, and he wasn’t sure what this sudden invitation was all about. He wasn’t sure why he’d agreed either; they’d parted on terrible terms and Nao’s letter was the first he’d heard from her since last summer. Maybe that was why- he still felt guilty about some of the things he’d said. The invitation was a spark of hope that they could still be friends, that she didn’t hate him.

“Aldo! Over here,” Nao called, grinning widely and waving. Aldo’s heart stuttered in his chest. After going so long without seeing her, she looked prettier than ever even bundled in cold weather gear as she was.

“Hi,” Aldo said shyly. He stopped in front of her, briefly meeting her eyes before looking away. What could he say? What _should_ he say?

“Hi!” Smiling brightly, she pulled him into a hug. “So, um, I know we kinda fought the last time but . . . I guess I wanted to say I’m sorry. For, um, being unreasonable. So this is to make up for it!” Nao turned, gesturing to a rather run-down looking boat.

“A boat?” Aldo said, frowning in bewilderment.

“No, silly! A trip on a boat. My friend’s older brother has a shipping route between here and the Battle Zone. I think you’ll like the trip.”

“Um, you know I’m not a trainer. I still don’t have a pokémon.” Aldo said hesitantly.

“It’s the trip you’ll like. I think.” She bit her lip. “C’mon- let’s get on board!” Without waiting for a reply, Nao grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the gangway. Aldo was too surprised by the contact (gloved hands or not) to question it.

At Nao’s insistence, the two stood on deck. It bitingly cold, and despite his pleasure at seeing Nao again, Aldo had to wonder if she’d only invited him on this boat trip to torture him. Still, he did his best to act as if he was enjoying himself, and gradually found he was as the two broke through the first few stilted attempts at conversation. Nao relayed her adventures travelling with her pokémon and Aldo went into exhaustive detail about his college courses and the work he’d been doing with the SJC. He was sure he bored her with his talk but as she always had, Nao merely smiled and said she liked his enthusiasm.

“Target sighted off the port bow!” the captain called out, his voice crackling over the intercom. Aldo frowned, looking at Nao. Without a word, she grabbed his hand again and dragged him to the opposite side of the boat, squealing with excitement.

“Look, look!” she cried, pointing eagerly out across the water. Although skeptical of what could possibly be so interesting, Aldo followed the line of her arm.

A large iceberg dominated the view, its shades of blue and white and grey blending seamlessly into the sky and sea surrounding it. Aldo could faintly make out spheal and sealeo clustered around the outer edges, and thought perhaps he could see some of the pokémon playing in the waters around the iceberg, their brightly blue bodies popping in and out of the waves.

And then all at once he saw it- saw _them_.

One large and graceful head surfaced amongst the bobbing spheal, then another and another. Aldo clutched the railing, leaning as far as he dared as he strained to look.

Lapras. Real, wild lapras.

“Here,” Nao pressed a pair of binoculars into his hands. “Told ya you’d like the trip.” she said cheekily. Aldo grinned stupidly and before he could convince himself not to, he hugged Nao tightly and kissed her. It was a quick kiss, wholly impulsive, and over before either of them could think too deeply about it. Aldo buried his face in the binoculars, and Nao, her face red, stared at him for a few silent moments before taking a second pair out of her bag and watching the lapras with him.

2006

(January)

Aldo clutched the thick manila envelope, staring blankly at it as his breathing intensified. He registered his name, the numerous stamps, the Alolan return address, but none of it seemed to click together quite right. He wanted to open it, _needed_ to- but a tremor of fear froze him in place. It felt too thick to be a rejection (that would only be a single sad sheet, wouldn’t it?) but Aldo’s mind couldn’t wrap itself around the possibility of actually getting into his dream program.

“What’s that, honey?” His mother’s voice snapped him out of his stupor, and Aldo realized he’s been standing in the doorway for at least five minutes. Flushing, Aldo held up the envelope, still clutching it tightly with both hands.

“It’s from Hau’oli University.” he said quietly. Chie gasped, both her hands covering her mouth as she gave one tiny hop in place, unable to restrain herself.

“Open it! Oh honey, I knew you’d-“

“Mooooooom, don’t jinx it!” Aldo wailed, then frantically tore at the top. Fingers trembling, he pulled out a sheet of paper- the rest of it could wait until he knew one way or the other.

“Do you want me to read it?”

“No, I can do it.” Aldo said. His eyes fluttered closed as he took a deep breath, then snapped them open to read. Skimming over the bulk of the letter, he stopped dead as he found the critical words.

_“We are pleased to inform you that you’ve been selected to join Hau’oli University’s conservation management course.”_

“Aldo honey!” Chie squealed, dashing the short distance to pull Aldo into a tight hug.

His mother babbled on about how exciting his acceptance was but how sad she and his father would be to have him so far away, though Aldo’s mind is miles away.

Applying to HU was a long shot, despite Aldo’s success with the Sinnoh Jr. Conservationists and his excellent grades in the classes he’d been taking at Hearthome Community College. HU was a prestigious school in an exotic location that drew hundreds of thousands of applications a year- the competition for a place in a small program like conservation management was intense. And yet, _somehow_ , he’d made it.

(August)

“So you’re really leaving tomorrow, huh?” Nao’s voice broke into Aldo’s fuzzy thoughts, clearing the cobwebs and sharpening his beer hazed focus. He wasn’t drunk, not really, but he’d let himself get caught up in the festivities of the going away party his friends had thrown. The garden where the party was being thrown was dark despite the numerous tiki torches, and Aldo had a hard time judging her expression- what could she want? She’d barely said a word to him all night before this.

She took a seat at the table opposite him, her hands moving awkwardly around a red plastic cup as she focused on that instead of his face.

He wasn’t surprised she’d come- they’d remained good if somewhat distant friends since her surprise lapras watching tour. They exchanged letters and postcards, meeting up once or twice when she happened to be home or when he happened to be working with the SJC near where she was training. They both dated other people, though they never talked much about that aspect of their lives with each other. Aldo couldn’t say what she felt, but there was an unpleasant throb of jealousy in the pit of his stomach whenever the thought of her with someone else crossed his mind.

“I am.” Aldo said, cringing inwardly. “I, uh, Dad’s flying me to Canalave, and I got a ticket for a ship from there. I’ll get to Hau’oli sometime Monday.”

“Figures.” Nao laughed humorlessly, staring at the table between them.

“Huh?”

“It’s nothing, just . . . as soon as I move back and get a job at the Gym, you’re running off to Alola.”

“I’m not _running_ -“ Nao’s sharp laugh cut him off.

“Please! You so are. I know it’s like, all you’ve ever wanted. You’ll get to see lapras in the wild all you want now.”

“I’ve seen wild lapras before.” Aldo countered, unsure what exactly he’s arguing with her for. “I- we did.”

“We did.” she smiled sadly, briefly meeting his eyes before looking into her cup. “I don’t want you to leave for Alola feeling the same way I did when I left for my gym challenge.”

“What do you mean?”

“The night after the festival- we got into that fight and I was too mad to say goodbye but I felt awful leaving without seeing you. So I guess . . . I guess I just want to say I hope you have fun. I know you’ll do great in your classes so I won’t bother wishing you luck.”

“Thanks, Nao. Why don’t we-?”

“I should go. It’s late.” She stood abruptly, not looking at him before walking off.

Puzzled, Aldo watched her go. Part of him wanted to chase her, but he knew there was no point. There was nothing either of them could say that would bridge the distance between Hearthome City and Hau’oli.

2012

(March)

Aldo stood on Poni Island’s western beach, his heart swelling as he watched the wild lapras in the distance. Most of the pod were still far out in the water, though one or two ventured closer to shore. He’d lived on Poni Island for just over a year now in a small houseboat on the outskirts of Seafolk Village. He helped run the branch of the Alolan Lapras Foundation located there, a small but important office. After all, Poni Island was where wild lapras came to breed and lay their eggs in the winter. When spring came and the last of the eggs had hatched, the pods of lapras would return to their summer feeding grounds in Kanto’s Sevii Islands, Galar, and occasionally far off the coast of Snowpoint City.

Poni Island was also where the wild lapras were most vulnerable to poachers. Their friendliness and too-trusting nature made them targets wherever they were, but the freshly hatched babies were especially vulnerable to poachers. The Alolan Lapras Foundation took steps to ensure that threat was negated as much as possible, but there was only so much that could be done; regulations and strict catch limits only stopped so many trainers. Greed was a powerful motivator, and the money that could be made selling lapras on the black market was worth the risk.

Aldo knew they’d made great strides in lessening the poaching on Poni Island, and the organizations in other regions did good work stopping them too. But stopping poachers didn’t eradicate them, and it didn’t bring back the lapras that had been caught and sold. The breeding population was critically low- and there wasn’t a whole lot that could be done about that overnight.

“What are you thinking about?” A gentle voice at his side drew Aldo’s eyes. He smiled, watching as Rosalie joined him. They worked together, sharing a passion for the pokémon and a mild flirtation. He’d always been a sucker for a pair of pretty brown eyes.

“The usual.” He nodded out towards the surf. “Two calves this year. Two! It breaks my heart.”

“Next year there should be more cows ready to mate though.” Rosalie said hopefully, slipping her hand into his. “Missy, Ophelia, and Dottie’s calves will be old enough to be independent, and Tipper should reach maturity by the next breeding season. If all four of them lay eggs-”

“It would be a miracle.” Aldo laughed, nudging her shoulder. “I love your optimism, Rosalie.”

“Gotta think positive!” she said determinedly, pumping her fist into the air. “Who knows? Maybe they’ll be able to finally get a pair in captivity to breed too. I heard they’re close in Fuchsia.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, I’ve got a friend working at the Safari Zone- he said that the zoo got their male to sing to the female. It’s not much, but it’s closer than they’ve ever gotten before.”

“Meh.” Aldo shrugged, swallowing the rant on the Fuchsia Zoo that tickled the back of his throat. Rosalie knew his feelings on the matter of keeping the pokémon captive well enough to spare them both the rant and her pointed counters about the importance of pokémon ambassadors accessible to the public. “You know what? If they really wanted them to breed they should release them.”

“Like that would happen! You’d probably have an easier time convincing a bunch of trainers to release their lapras than the Fuchsia Zoo.” Rosalie laughed.

“Say that again.” Aldo said, turning to face her. His mind moved slowly, and he grasped desperately at the fine edges of an idea that threatened.

“It’d be easier to convince a bunch of trainers to release their lapras than the Fuchsia Zoo?” she repeated, an eyebrow quirking up. Laughing wildly, Aldo squeezed her hand.

“Why don’t we then?”

“Aldo, you can’t convince people to give up their beloved pokémon. I mean, you’re cute and charming and all, but not _that_ cute and charming.”

“Who says I’m not? But you’re right. We couldn’t get enough of them to- not for good.” Aldo paused, knitting his brows together as he concentrated. “But maybe we can convince them to release them for a few months. Let them have fun and make some babies while they enjoy an Alolan vacation- yeah, that would totally work!”

“Even if you could convince _anyone_ to do that, what about the eggs?”

“That’s easy- the wild pods would raise them. C’mon, you saw how they raised Tipper when her mother was caught before her egg hatched. It would work!”

“It’s worth bringing up to the director I suppose.” Rosalie said, unconvinced.

“It is!” Aldo laughed, giving her hand a final squeeze before jogging back towards Seafolk Village. He wouldn’t be satisfied until he laid out his crazy plan to the director and she either told him to shove it or get to work.

2016

(January)

“This is my last year here I think.” Rosalie said quietly, resting her head on Aldo’s shoulder. The two of them lay stretched out on a beach towel shaded by a large umbrella on Poni Island’s western beach. Aldo almost didn’t hear her, her soft voice overpowered by the babble of the crowd surrounding them. People and pokémon covered the sand; laughing, talking, sharing a battle or two here or there. In the ocean in front of them, wild lapras mingled with the wild-for-the-winter lapras. Their cries and songs mingled with the noise on the beach to create a particular kind of music that resonated in Aldo’s heart.

“Your last year?” He repeated dumbly, having an uncomfortable flashback to when he was a teenager.

“Yeah. The wild pokémon living on Route 4 have been pushed into the city due to increased construction there.”

“You’ve mentioned it. One of your old professors at the University of Castelia is working on it, right?”

“Professor Larch is, yeah. She’s been hinting she needs help though she hasn’t asked.”

“And you’re thinking about going.”

“I am.” Rosalie smiled, her eyes lighting up as she watched the lapras playing in the water. “The wild population has skyrocketed since your breeding program worked. The lapras don’t need me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! Just because the wild population is recovering, that doesn’t mean we can give up. We have to make sure that we maintain it correctly or they could become endangered again-” Rosalie cut him off with a kiss.

“Darling, the lapras don’t need _me_. They’ll always need you.” she said. Aldo scowled, giving her a look. She laughed, falling back onto the blanket. “You know I’m right.”

“So you’re going back to Unova then,”

“I am. I decided just now, I think.” Rosalie closed her eyes, nodding. “The pokémon back home need me. I can’t abandon them.”

“I can’t leave.”

“I would never ask you to. Your heart only has room for one pokémon. It’s not a criticism.” she added quickly, reaching out to squeeze his leg. “You love lapras so strongly, so completely! It’s easy for you to get others to care. You focus on solving one problem, on saving one pokémon. And you did. I admire that, Aldo. I admire you.”

“I didn’t save anything- not yet.” Aldo scratched his cheek, embarrassed, and turned to the water. The population rebound was a start, but keeping it steady- that would be the test. “I’ll miss you.” he said softly. He didn’t look at her.

“And I’ll miss you. I’ll miss you more for not asking me to stay.” Rosalie sighed dreamily. “It’s funny, I think the spell would be broken if you tried to convince me to. I’d love you a little less I mean. But you know that my work is important, you know what it means to me and I know what yours means to you. We both love pokémon more than we love each other and that is why I love you.”

“And why I love you.” Aldo said. He smiled, bending down to kiss her, and firmly but intently pushed aside his bruised ego -and the persistent, enthralling memory of a girl’s tear-stained face as she begged him to go with her.

2018

(September)

"And for our final award, we present the lifetime achievement award." Sir David Ebsworth said, looking out across the crowd of pokémon professors and conservationists gathered in Hammerlocke for the annual awards ceremony. Half fundraiser and half PR stunt, the Interregional League of Pokémon Conservation hosted the annual awards gala in a different city every year. It was only the second time Aldo attended, and only because he’d been specifically invited.

He shifted uncomfortably, knowing where this speech would lead. It was thrilling, getting to hear his longtime idol Sir David give laud his accomplishments and congratulate him- the only drawback was having to go up there and give a speech in response. Aldo didn't like the spotlight. The thought of all the eyes in the audience staring up at him made him shiver- and the crowd there wasn't even that big! He absolutely wouldn't think about the livestream being broadcast simultaneously on ILPC website.

"Let me tell you a brief story, if I may." Sir David paused, smiling. "Over twenty years ago now, I received a letter from a little boy in Sinnoh after he'd watched my documentary on wild lapras. He asked me what a child from a faraway region could do to save the pokémon he loved.

"I wrote back my advice to anyone; be vocal, teach others, donate what you can. Of course, we all know that teaching others about endangered pokémon and why they're important is the key. Getting others to _care_ is important.

"That little boy in Sinnoh took my advice to heart. He begged his teachers to give lessons on lapras, he volunteered with the Sinnoh Junior Conservationists, helping not only his beloved lapras but all kinds of pokémon across the region.

"While attending Hau'oli University in Alola, he took an internship with the Alolan Lapras Foundation, which turned into a permanent position. He and the rest of the ALF did plenty of amazing work for the lapras that wintered off Poni Island. But despite their best efforts, the numbers of wild lapras continued to dwindle.

"This was only a few short years ago. I would like to emphasize this because the complete turnabout of lapras's fate is utterly incredible. One man's idea -Aldo Carson's idea- changed the fate of an entire species. If that isn't the achievement of a lifetime, I don't know what is!" Raucous applause punctuated Sir David's sentence, the loudest coming from Aldo's parents sitting at the table beside him. He found Aldo in the audience, smiling widely as he caught his eye, and gestured toward the stage. "Aldo, please join me. I'll let the man himself explain." Sir David chuckled. Thus summoned, Aldo couldn't refuse.

He fished the index cards he'd painstakingly written his speech on as he made his way to the stage, his heart rate increasing with each step until he reached it. Aldo was happily surprised to find that the floor lights were angled in such a way that they flared and obscured his view of the audience. Not completely, but enough to lessen his nerves -if only a little.

"Aldo, thank you. Your work has been phenomenal." Sir David said quietly, grasping his hand and patting him firmly on the shoulder.

"I don't- thank _you_." Aldo was swallowed by a surge of emotion as his childhood hero shook his hand. Sir David turned to a model that suddenly appeared on stage beside him. She passed him a small golden statue topped with a lapras, which Sir David promptly pressed into Aldo's hands.

Clutching the statue to his chest and shaking Sir David's hand again, Aldo blinked away tears. He laughed awkwardly to cover his reaction before setting it on the podium and turning to the mic.

"There are so many people I have to thank. My parents, for encouraging me and tolerating all my rants about lapras growing up." The audience laughed quietly and Aldo felt more at ease. "And of course Sir David, who inspired my love of conservation and gave me a plan to put it into action even as a kid.

"But I think the biggest thank you needs to go out to all the trainers with lapras who participated in the program. Give a brief overview of the program. Er," Aldo flushed, scratching his cheek. "Right. It's been notoriously impossible to breed lapras in captivity, but the majority of the lapras population is owned by trainers, leaving way too few of them in the wild to keep the population growing strong.

"A few years ago, me and a colleague -Rosalie, thanks to Rosalie and everyone at the ALF!- were on the beach watching the lapras and discussing the problem when it hit me; if trainers have the pokémon but can't breed them in captivity, why not try breeding them in the wild?

"Lapras has a unique migration pattern. They feed in the north for most of the year, but spend December to March off the coast of Poni Island, where they breed and hatch their eggs. Lapras is also unique in its enormously empathetic nature. When a mother lapras is captured or killed before her egg hatches, the other females in the pod will raise the calf as their own- even if they already have a calf.

"So I thought, let's ask trainers to lend us their pokémon for a few months. They could release them off the coast, let them relax and make friends and hopefully make some really good friends." Aldo laughed along with the audience and flipped uselessly through his cards. Why hadn't he written this out?! Thankfully, talking about his pet program was second nature.

"It worked. I still can't believe it! The first year was slow- only a few trainers agreed to it, even with the Alolan vacation we offered. But one of those trainers was Lorelei, formerly of the Indigo League's Elite Four. A huge thank you to her for posting about her lapras's great time in Alola all over Hootwho and Rotomgram and all her other social media I can't think of- honestly, without the tremendous boost she gave, I don't know if my crazy idea would've worked.

"But who knows? Most of the trainers who raise lapras are caring, empathetic people, which is why they participate in the program. Again, thanks to everyone who made this and saving the lapras possible." Aldo bowed his head, holding the small statuette aloft.

The rest of the ceremony passed in a blur, as did most the after party. Aldo hadn't exactly wanted to go, but his parents all but insisted he have fun while they went back to the hotel. He was easily convinced, if only to network. More contacts in the Galaran conservation scene would make his meetings in Hulbury easier -he could hope anyway. Aldo doubted there was much that could be done to make _that_ go smoothly.

The sudden boom in lapras population, while great for the lapras (and the Alolan tourism industry), was not as well received in Galar. The sharp increase in the number of lapras feeding off the coast of Galar meant a sharp decline in the fish pokémon there.

Normally, this wouldn't be an issue. With the absence of one of their main predators, the fish pokémon would boom in population and the return of the lapras would mean a natural balancing of the ecosystem. But Galaran fishers had taken advantage of the increased fish pokémon, balancing the ecosystem themselves. The lapras’s return only put further strain on an already strained fish pokémon population. Further complicating matters was Aldo's personal opinions on eating pokémon (ranging from reluctant understanding from a cultural standpoint to utter and complete disgust). He had to make sure to stay professional during the meetings and not let his beliefs that humans shouldn't be eating pokémon at all _anyway_ color his speech.

Aldo accepted a flute of champagne from a passing waiter, sipping it as he scanned the crowd. Catching sight of an all-too familiar pair of brown eyes, he nearly choked. She met his gaze and smiled. All of a sudden, Aldo found himself pushing through the crowd to find her.

"Nao? What- why?" Aldo stopped, unable to articulate the complex mess of his feelings standing face to face with her now.

"Hey! I’ve been in Hammerlocke doing some training and I just happened to see that you were getting an award at the same hotel I’m staying at. So I, uh, kinda snuck in." Nao giggled, seemingly unashamed. Aldo smiled- she wouldn’t be.

"Oh Arceus- you listened to that awful speech I gave huh?"

"You're still as articulate as ever when it comes to lapras." she said affectionately. "Any big plans now that you've accomplished your life's goal?"

"It sucks to peak at thirty." Aldo laughed. "But there's still plenty of work to do. I'm head of the Alolan Lapras Foundation, and we've been working with organizations here in Galar to manage the impact of the unexpected population spike."

"So you'll be in Galar then?" Nao said with a pointed interest.

"For another month or so, then I'll head back to Poni. What, uh, what about you?"

"I'll be in Galar for another little bit myself. After that, who knows? Fantina said she’s retiring soon –she wants to go back to Kalos- and said she’d pull some strings to get me the gym. But I don’t know if I want that. There’s so much I want to do, you know? There’s so many places I haven’t gone yet."

"Well, uh, Alola is great any time of year." Aldo cleared his throat, feeling his face warm. "If you don't have anyone- er, anything else to do."

"I don't." Nao said quickly, reaching out to touch his forearm. "I've been doing some solo travelling- Unova, Hoenn, racking up pokémon battles and not much else. You know.” She laughed, her eyes meeting his and abruptly darting away. “But I'd hate to intrude. If _you_ had anyone -anything- going on back home."

"Only the lapras." Aldo said with a sheepish laugh.

"That's a given with you." Nao smiled, and slipped her hand into his.

**Author's Note:**

> Admittedly, this story became more about Aldo than lapras, but Aldo became Aldo because of his love of lapras so I think it counts lol. And just a few notes:
> 
> -I tried my best to keep to the game canon, but I had to nerf breeding lapras because I couldn't justify how lapras could be critically endangered if some kid trying to get a shiny could breed hundreds and hundreds of lapras eggs.  
> -Added lapras to waters off Snowpoint because plot, though it makes sense to me that they'd feed there  
> -I based a lot of lapras's behavior in the wild off humpback whales. I almost went with sea turtles (laying eggs that need to fend for themselves) but it didn't fit my image of lapras.  
> -Sir David Ebsworth is 100% a nod to Sir David Attenborough if you somehow missed my very obvious reference  
> -I took Aldo's names from two different conservationists, Aldo Leopold and Rachel Carson.


End file.
